Several prior art push-up hand support devices have been developed, such as U.S. Pat. No. 7,468,025 (Hauser) and U.S. Pat. No. 7,377,888 (Godbold). These designs typically include a substantially horizontal cylindrical handle for the user to grip. There may be a bearing assembly that allows the push-up device to rotate about a vertical axis. The idea is to allow the user's hands to rotate while doing a push-up exercise, which can engage additional muscle groups during the exercise.
Comfort can be a significant drawback with these horizontal handle designs. Palm and wrist pain are common during repetitive exercise, especially during push-up exercise in certain positions. Due to the few available grip positions of the horizontal cylindrical handle, the user is left with limited ways to exercise comfortably. Furthermore, because these devices are fixed in a single location during the exercise, the versatility is limited.
For the foregoing reasons there is a need for an efficient exercise device that allows for a total upper body, core, and potentially lower body exercise while providing a comfortable grip.